


Restless Nights

by bakodagotmeintowritingatla (FandomsMJ)



Series: Neighbors [1]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Modern AU with Bending, Zuko has unofficially been adopted, could be considered bakoda, implied/referenced PTSD
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-10
Updated: 2020-08-10
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:20:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,057
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25773484
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FandomsMJ/pseuds/bakodagotmeintowritingatla
Summary: Some nights Hakoda just couldn't sleep.
Series: Neighbors [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1869736
Comments: 6
Kudos: 72





	Restless Nights

**Author's Note:**

> I have a lot of ideas for this modern au, most of which centering around the Gaang, Hakoda, and Bato, so stay tuned for more fics in this series.

Dark brown eyes shot open in a dark room. Hakoda lay perfectly still as his eyes darted from side to side. It took a few moments, but he soon recognized his bedroom. He glanced at the clock, and groaned when he saw the time. Way earlier than anyone should wake up, but also way later than anyone should stay up. That grey area between morning and night where time seemed to not exist. A time Hakoda seemed to wake up more often than not. 

Why? His brain unable to understand what 'being at home safe and sound' meant. It had been years and yet still he had days - or weeks if he was unlucky - where a full night of sleep was impossible. He didn't know if he preferred simply not being able to stay asleep or if he'd rather wake from nightmares so he had least had something to blame for being awake. 

Still too alert to even think about going back to sleep, he got out of bed. It was almost routine to him at this point as he left his room and made his way down the hall. The door to the guest room opened without a sound and he peeked inside. Admittedly, he didn't know if Zuko would be there, but he checked anyway. 

At first glance it seemed the room was empty. A second glance revealed honey brown eyes staring at him from the corner of the top bunk. Getting caught might have been awkward, but it wasn't the first time it happened. No, the first time had been after a particularly bad nightmare that had erased stealth from the list of skills Hakoda had. 

It confused Zuko at first and Hakoda didn't have the heart to ask what part of it confused him. A father needing reassurance his kids were safe? Him counting Zuko as one of 'his' kids? The fact that even Hakoda had nightmares? He suspected he knew, and it only made his heart ache. 

"Are you okay?" The question caught Hakoda off guard. He was used to a grumble of 'I'm fine' followed by the kid either face planting into his pillow, or retreating into his bundle of blankets to go back to sleep. Zuko pushing himself up and giving him a concerned look was new. 

"I'm fine, kiddo," he answered with what he hoped was a reassuring smile. "I just wanted to check on you," ~~_and_ _your siblings_ ~~"Sokka, and Katara." 

Zuko studied him for a long moment before he decided it wasn't worth pushing it. He retreated into his bundle of blankets, muttering his familiar response of, "I'm fine." 

Hakoda smiled, murmuring a quiet "Good night, Zuko." He shut the door, and headed back down the hall towards the stairs. 

_Zuko waited patiently for the footsteps to reach the top of the stairs before he slipped out of bed and out of the room. Hakoda was not okay. This was the fourth night in a row he'd gotten up. Problem was Zuko didn't know what was wrong or how to help him._

_Luckily, he knew someone that did._

The light was on in Sokka's room, but the teen was sprawled across his bed snoring. Hakoda bit back a chuckle as he took in the open text books and sheets of notes spread out around him. The books were put away, the notes stacked neatly on the desk. Sokka slept through it all, not even stirring when a blanket was draped over him. 

The light clicked off, and Hakoda slipped out of the room. He moved across the hall to Katara's room, finding her sleeping peacefully. At least someone in the house was able to not only go to bed at a decent time, but stay asleep. The door was closed just as quietly as it had opened and Hakoda turned to go back downstairs. 

His kids were fine. Everything was fine. So why was he still tense and alert? Why couldn't he just go back to sleep? 

Going next door and checking on Toph and Bato crossed his mind, but he didn't entertain the thought for long. Bato - ever the light sleeper - would surely catch him before he'd even made it three steps into the house. And if Bato caught him then he'd be forced to admit he hadn't been sleeping. And he didn't want that. Bato had enough to deal with, he didn't need Hakoda adding to it. 

He wandered into the kitchen and felt the wall until his hand struck the light switch. He turned, and jumped at the sight of an unamused Bato standing there.

Hakoda stared at him for a long moment as the pieces fell into place. "He ratted me out," he muttered, somewhat shocked. 

Guilt made itself at home in his heart as it fully hit him. Zuko, the kid terrified of bothering people (but especially men, for a reason Hakoda could only guess), had willingly gone to wake up Bato. He'd been that worried. 

Bato didn't even bother to confirm it, he just gave him _that_ look. The one that was sympathetic, disappointed, and hurt all in one. "You could have told me you were having trouble sleeping." 

"Didn't want to worry you," Hakoda admitted. 

"Because Zuko - _still somewhat scared of me Zuko_ \- waking me up in the middle of the night wasn't worrying at all," Bato snapped. He flinched at his own words and sighed, "I'm sorry." 

"No, you're right," Hakoda murmured. "I'd be worried too if our positions were reversed. I just... you already have enough to deal with." 

"Because the solution is such a burden." Bato rolled his eyes. Hakoda wasn't given a chance to protest as Bato moved, "You need to get some sleep." 

The kitchen light was flicked off and Hakoda didn't say anything as they made their way to his room. It was childish, that was all Hakoda could think as he found himself curling up against Bato's side. Yet he couldn't deny how reassuring it was to hear his heartbeat, to feel him there. 

They hadn't been able to do this on the ship. Their duties kept them separate as well as the conditions they lived under. Perhaps that was why he was allowed to relax, allowed to drift off to sleep. 

Because if Bato was home and safe, then so was Hakoda. 


End file.
